The BFPA’s Yvonne Pearman wins BSI special commendation award

11 March, 2016

Yvonne Pearman, BFPA’s Standards project manager, was presented with a BSI special commendation award by Steve Brunige, head of industry and government engagement at BSI on 10 December 2015 at the BFPA’s Chipping Norton offices.

Brunige travelled to Chipping Norton to present the surprise award to Yvonne Pearman before the annual meeting of the BFPA’s Technical and Policy Standards (T&SPC) Committee chaired by Jerry Hughes.

In his presentation speech, he said: “Yvonne has held the role of standards project manager for the BFPA since 2004, and despite coming to the BFPA without a technical background and without any prior experience of BSI activities she has mastered the role of Standards projects manager and grasped the complexities of BS/ISO procedures for a large number of BFPA/BSI committees and panels covering a wide variety of subjects and a vast array of (mainly) ISO standards. The BFPA acts as an external secretariat for BSI on fluid power standards and is secretary to 21 technical committees/working groups with responsibility for over 500 standards.”

Brunige continued: “Yvonne has developed a tracking data base for every standard which also ensures votes at National, European and International levels are submitted by their due dates, a complex task for so many standards. Her expertise in this field has won admiration from other countries who often contact her for what the current position is on a standard.

‘Go to’ person

“She has built strong relations with BSI, CEN and ISO secretariats and has become a well-respected member of the international standards scene. In working at international level she keeps UK delegates abreast of any changes being proposed and ensures that the UK point of view is firmly put forward. Yvonne is totally dedicated and works selflessly. She is renowned for working extra hours without any additional reward to make sure the many deadlines are met and always achieves a high standard of work. She has become the ‘go to’ person for any information relating to fluid power standardisation in the United Kingdom.

Selfless dedication

Brunige concluded: “Without dedicated people like Yvonne, the BSI (and many UK industries) would suffer and the economy would be adversely impacted. It is fitting that her role, and the very positive effects it has on industry, be recognised and celebrated. I cannot think of any other person who deserves recognition for their selfless dedication to the standards process at BSI. Yvonne – congratulations and thank you from the BSI and all your colleagues,”